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Electricity generation is a key contributor to global Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions. The urgent need to mitigate climate change demands a transition to more sustainable ways of electricity generation. However, focusing on operational emissions without assessing their life cycle may lead to less effective decisions on energy policy and technology advancements. This study examines the life cycle GHG emissions of major electricity generation systems in Malaysia, employing the life cycle assessment approach. The systems are based on energy resources of coal, natural gas, hydro, and solar photovoltaic (PV). Furthermore, five types of PV systems with different capacity range and module technologies were compared. Furthermore, the study also compares the scenarios of PV installation in major cities in the country. The results show that electricity produced by renewable energy yields substantially lower GHG emissions compared to fossil fuel energy. Throughout their lifetime, PV and hydro electricity systems release GHG emissions at least 5 and 7.4 times lower than coal respectively, and at least 3.5 and 5.2 times lower than natural gas, respectively, under the worst-case uncertainty scenario. Besides, the GHG emissions of PV system installed in major cities in Malaysia ranges from 61.4 to 72.5 g CO2-eq/kWh. The study highlights the potential of renewable energy in promoting sustainability within the energy sector, offering a viable pathway towards the decarbonization of the energy sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This interdisciplinary design studio engages the tensions between climate mitigation and climate adaptation efforts along the United States Gulf Coast, a region widely recognized as the domestic backbone of the oil and gas industry. Rooted in entangled narratives and tensions between economic prosperity, ecological stewardship, the systemic disenfranchisement of Indigenous and racialized communities, and industrial-scale energy production, this studio asked students to explore nuanced, nonconventional scenarios for adapting to ecosystem change, with projective considerations for new power relationships and collective ways of living on vanishing land. The pedagogical approach emphasized multiscalar systems analysis and collective world-building grounded in environmental justice organizing, to encourage students to think beyond technocratic design solutions for a changing climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The energy decarbonization transition in developing countries faces significant financial constraints, and foreign aid directed towards the energy sector provides potential solutions. However, existing research lacks empirical validation of the relationship and mechanisms between energy aid and the energy decarbonization transition. Hence, this study aims to explore the effectiveness of energy aid in driving the energy decarbonization transition in recipient countries and examines the presence of asymmetry and underlying mechanisms. Our findings indicate that energy aid effectively promotes the transition to energy decarbonization, with the most substantial positive impact stemming from aid directed towards renewable energy generation, energy policy, and energy distribution. Moreover, the relationship between energy aid and energy decarbonization transition exhibits asymmetry. Additionally, energy aid indirectly drives the energy decarbonization transition by fostering financial development and enhancing human capital, and its positive impact is further amplified by government quality and the demand for clean fuels. The novelty of this study lies in its comprehensive analysis of the intricate interactions between energy aid and the energy decarbonization transition. These findings have crucial policy implications for international organizations and governments seeking to support sustainable energy transitions in developing countries and enhance the effectiveness of energy aid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background One of the potential dimensions on which exclusion and injustice may occur in energy transitions is age. Age-based patterns of exclusion—ageism—has recently been conceptualized in the context of decarbonization as energy ageism. This paper offers a comparative empirical analysis of the senior citizens’ outlook towards an imminent energy transition as well as the impact of energy poverty in two European countries: Norway and Poland. Results Drawing on interviews and focus groups with Polish and Norwegian seniors, we present the differences and similarities between the two countries, and the determinants of energy ageism, as well as the concept’s overall applicability and empirical usefulness. We find that socioeconomic conditions outweigh ageism, that is, the resilience of senior citizens in dealing with energy poverty during a transition is conditioned by their material standing and welfare state robustness rather than age based. An important factor is household heating technology, combined with economic vulnerability can push some individuals into energy poverty, while others using alternative sources of heat can navigate through energy crises unscathed. Conclusions We note the importance of mainstreaming social inclusion considerations in energy policy and of targeted digital competence building which can enhance senior citizen integration in the energy transition. Lower levels of digital competences among senior citizens certainly play a role and need to be addressed with education programs to increase participation. In both countries, household heating is a major issue and heating sources are strong predictors of energy poverty and regulatory measures and subsidies should be designed at national, regional, and municipal level to assist vulnerable groups in this area.

Climate change has become a major agenda item in international relations and in national energy policy-making circles around the world. This review studies the surprising evolution of the energy policy, and more particularly the energy transition, currently happening in the Arabian Gulf region, which features some of the world's largest exporters of oil and gas. Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and other neighboring energy exporters plan to export blue and green hydrogen across Asia as well as towards Europe in the years and decades to come. Although poorly known and understood abroad, this recent strategy does not threaten the current exports of oil and gas (still needed for a few decades) but prepares the evolution of their national energy industries toward the future decarbonized energy demand of their main customers in East and South Asia, and beyond. The world's largest exporter of Liquefied Natural Gas, Qatar, has established industrial policies and projects to upscale CCUS, which can enable blue hydrogen production, as well as natural carbon sinks domestically via afforestation projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the results of research conducted as part of the ENTRANCES project (financed by the Horizon 2020 program), which focused on the analysis of sociological conditions in the transformation process involving the abandonment of coal production. The Polish research area in this project was the Silesian region. The research concerned the problems that will inevitably affect the region’s community as the transformation towards the abandonment of coal becomes increasingly profound. The article identifies the main challenges facing this region in the context of adaptation to profound changes resulting from the liquidation of basic jobs in the region, which are coal mines. Moreover, the authors of the article propose strategies that can be used to effectively deal with these challenges. These strategy proposals include both actions at the public policy level and initiatives undertaken by the private sector and the local community. The research method used included a broad analysis of many dimensions to which the region’s society is subjected in transitional conditions within five components: socio-cultural, socio-psychological, socio-political, socio-economic, and socio-ecological-technical. The identified challenges and developed applicable strategies summarize this broad research. The obtained results allow for a deeper understanding of social processes during the energy transformation in coal regions, as well as the formulation of practical solutions for the Silesian region and other similar areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Decarbonizing fossil-fuel usage is crucial in mitigating the impacts of climate change. The burning of fossil fuels in boilers during industrial process heating is one of the major sources of CO2 in the industry. Electrification is a promising solution for decarbonizing these boilers, as it enables renewable energy sources to generate electricity, which can then be used to power the electric boilers. This research develops a user-driven simulation model with realistic data and potential temperature data for a location to estimate boilers' current energy and fuel usage and determine the equivalent electrical boiler capacity and energy usage. A simulation model is developed using the Visual Basic Application (VBA)® and takes factors such as current boiler capacity, steam temperature and pressure, condensate, makeup water, blowdown, surface area, and flue gas information as input. Random numbers generate the hourly temperature variation for a year for discrete-event Monte Carlo Simulation. The simulation generates the hourly firing factor, energy usage, fuel usage, and CO2 emissions of boilers for a whole year, and the result compares fossil-fuel and electrical boilers. The simulated data are validated using real system data, and sensitivity analysis of the model is performed by varying the input data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: One of the potential dimensions on which exclusion and injustice may occur in energy transitions is age. Age-based patterns of exclusion—ageism—has recently been conceptualized in the context of decarbonization as energy ageism. This paper offers a comparative empirical analysis of the senior citizens' outlook towards an imminent energy transition as well as the impact of energy poverty in two European countries: Norway and Poland. Results: Drawing on interviews and focus groups with Polish and Norwegian seniors, we present the differences and similarities between the two countries, and the determinants of energy ageism, as well as the concept's overall applicability and empirical usefulness. We find that socioeconomic conditions outweigh ageism, that is, the resilience of senior citizens in dealing with energy poverty during a transition is conditioned by their material standing and welfare state robustness rather than age based. An important factor is household heating technology, combined with economic vulnerability can push some individuals into energy poverty, while others using alternative sources of heat can navigate through energy crises unscathed. Conclusions: We note the importance of mainstreaming social inclusion considerations in energy policy and of targeted digital competence building which can enhance senior citizen integration in the energy transition. Lower levels of digital competences among senior citizens certainly play a role and need to be addressed with education programs to increase participation. In both countries, household heating is a major issue and heating sources are strong predictors of energy poverty and regulatory measures and subsidies should be designed at national, regional, and municipal level to assist vulnerable groups in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change has become a global issue and is predicted to impact less-developed regions, such as sub-Saharan Africa, severely. Innovative, sustainable renewable energy systems are essential to mitigate climate change's effects and unlock the region's potential, especially with the increasing energy demands and population growth. The region relies heavily on fossil fuels, which calls for urgent action towards energy security and expansion. Hybrid floating solar photovoltaic-hydropower (FPV-HEP) technology has emerged as a cost-effective and transformative solution to accelerate the low-carbon energy transition in sub-Saharan Africa. The technology combines solar panels with existing hydropower infrastructure, ensuring energy security while reducing carbon emissions. This technology offers several benefits over conventional ground-mounted solar systems, including efficient land utilization, energy generation, and water conservation. However, its adoption remains challenging due to technical complexities and evolving regulatory frameworks. Despite these challenges, Nigerian energy professionals have preferred renewable alternatives, mainly distributed solar PV and FPV-HEP plants. This collective embrace of FPV and renewables reflects a growing understanding of their critical role in mitigating climate change through sustainable energy practices. This research aims to contribute to the existing body of knowledge and assist policymakers in making informed decisions on adopting this technology. It also stimulates further research on this topic, offering a new potential solution to the ever-increasing demand for green energy in the region to meet their sustainable development needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relevance of the research topic is due to the role and importance of the results of the activities of enterprises in the oil and gas sector, which is currently strongly influenced by modern transformational trends, for the development of the national economy. The article analyzes the results of the impact of the green trend, due to the objective need to follow the principles of ESG and respond to the challenges of decarbonization.The purpose of the study is to study the impact of the green agenda and evaluate the effectiveness of ESG investments, as well as substantiate proposals for the implementation of ESG principles in corporate strategies of oil and gas companies.Research objectives: to study the green cases of key Russian oil and gas companies; to evaluate the effectiveness of ESG investments; to formulate proposals that allow companies in the oil and gas sector to integrate more effectively into the ESG agenda.Research methods: systematic approach, logical analysis, synthesis; The empirical method of rating assessment, content analysis of open sources, correlation and regression analysis were used.Results. Despite the improvement of positions in profile ratings, the profitability of ESG investments is unstable, therefore, it is necessary to strengthen work to increase the level of environmental and social responsibility, and the effectiveness of risk management. It is necessary to consolidate at the legislative level the requirements for reporting on sustainable development, which still do not fully comply with international standards in the criteria part. Evaluating the effectiveness of ESG investments is complicated by several problems caused by the use of various approaches to integrating ESG principles and monitoring this process using KPIs, insufficient activity in tracking and disclosing information about the effectiveness of ESG strategies, etc.The main conclusions. The successful and consistent solution of the tasks of green energy transfer allows us to achieve the application of corporate strategy methods and operational efficiency methods for key vectors. There is a high correlation between the indicators of ESG investments and the net profit of oil and gas companies; PJSC Tatneft and PJSC NK Rosneft have the most significant correlation coefficient. It is advisable to develop a document at the level of industry regulators that includes a package of preferences for oil and gas companies implementing the ESG agenda (tax incentives, provision of long-term and cheap financing by infrastructure state banks, accelerated depreciation of capital investments in ESG projects, ensuring stable financing of joint projects in the field of sustainable development of the regions where oil and gas companies are based).

This article discusses a possible scenario of energy transition in Russia, taking into account the economic structure, presence of huge oil and gas infrastructure and unique natural resources. All this allows to consider global trends of energy and economic decarbonization not only as a challenge, but also as a new opportunity for the country. Considering developed oil and gas production, transportation, refining and petrochemical infrastructure, as well as the vast territory, forest, water and soil resources, our country has unique opportunities for carbon sequestration using both biological systems and the existing oil and gas infrastructure. It is proposed to use the existing oil and gas production facilities for hydrogen generation in the processes of hydrocarbon catalytic transformation inside the reservoir. It is suggested to create and use large-scale technologies for CO2 sequestration using existing oil and gas production infrastructure. Considering high potential of the Russian Federation for carbon sequestration by biological systems, a network of Russian carbon testing areas is being developed, including one at Kazan Federal University (KFU), – the “Carbon-Povolzhye” testing area. The creation of carbon farms based on the applications at such testing areas could become a high-demand high-tech business. A detailed description of the KFU carbon testing area and its planned objectives are given.

The processes of global energy transition are increasingly becoming one of the main driving forces of both the transformation of the existing market model and the technological foundations of the functioning of energy facilities. The reorientation of the world economy towards decarbonization threatens the stability of the functioning of many previously seemingly unshakable technological solutions and approaches in the field of system integration of the fuel and energy complex, which, in turn, stimulates the search for a new paradigm of its development.The manifestations of transformation are observed at various levels of the economic hierarchy: inter-country, country and intra-country. The development of mechanisms for the response of Russian manufacturers to the realities of the energy transition requires testing at real facilities. According to the authors, Tatarstan can become an indicative region for the development of approaches to achieving carbon neutrality.For a preventive forecast of the attainability of ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) indicators, the authors propose a conceptual approach to assessing the development of decarbonization technologies, based on a combination of economic and mathematical methods, which allows us to develop an organizational and legal basis for the process, form and evaluate criteria for the effectiveness of innovations and the conditions for their implementation.

This article explores the escalating impact of climate change and the global green transition on international relations, particularly in the aftermath of the Paris Agreement in 2015. While physical risks stemming directly from climate change consequences are a concern, the rise of transition risks associated with the global green shift poses significant threats to societies, political systems, and economies. The current emissions reduction targets outlined in the Paris Agreement are deemed inadequate to address the mounting physical risks, underscoring the imperative of enhancing states’ climate security. Transition risks are intricately linked to the fragmentation of global politics, driven by varying climate ambitions and disagreements on decarbonization methods among states. Fault lines emerge based on factors such as fossil fuel abundance, states’ positions in energy geopolitics, socio-economic development levels, utilization of green transition opportunities, and participation in international climate agreements. In this context, Russia confronts numerous risks, compelling the nation to articulate and advocate its unique vision of decarbonization while fostering alliances with non-Western states in this critical domain.

Energy system modeling supports the identification of the optimal technology mix to achieve decarbonization targets across multiple sectors. Especially when sector coupling is considered for future technology landscapes, the large solution space leads to a complex optimization problem in terms of computational feasibility and data requirements. The authors identify a research gap in developing an open-source model structure with consideration of the relevant future technologies of power, heat, other conversions, transport, and industry defined with a new level of detail in a sector-coupled energy world and in including detailed insights into the accompanying definition process. A strong focus is set on the transparency and reproducibility of the provided open-source structure and its flexible and consistent application to different framework families to foster the ease of applicability of this work. The paper first gives a detailed description of the model base, including an overview of the model frame definition process, the core adjustments to model sector coupling appropriately, and the measures to make the resulting problem computationally feasible. The core result of this work is the presentation of a detailed model structure to model sector coupling for a German energy system, yielding approximately 2000 processes that characterize the heterogeneous and technology-open landscape of existing and possible future technologies across relevant energy sectors. This supports energy system modelers in understanding and reproducing energy system models based on open-source data and thereby tries to accelerate the research on sector coupling and its role in the energy transition.

This paper asks how legislative elites—lawmakers serving on statehouse committees with jurisdiction over transportation and energy—set transportation policy and funding agendas and what factors matter for compelling lawmaker policy action or explaining inaction. The role of legislatures in federalist systems has broader implications for the setting of transportation policy agendas, but in this study, we focus on U.S. state legislatures. We report on five focus group discussions conducted with 23 legislative representatives from 19 different states to reveal untapped insights into committee members' perceptions and the factors that drive their attention to certain issues in contemporary U.S. transportation policy. We find that these state-level political elites almost universally see funding as the most important issue and recognize the sector's broad fiscal reliance on motor fuel taxes as structurally unsound, given growing vehicle fuel efficiency and electric vehicle adoption. We find further that, with respect to their own policymaking activities, state lawmakers understand transportation policy and energy transition as distinct issues and appear unable to meet these known challenges by crossing committees to redesign policy. We also see implications of these results more broadly for subnational and provincial governments that, regardless of country setting, must often work across multiple layers of government to set policy agendas in the context of an evolving energy and transportation landscape and that warrant greater attention from policy scholars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The urgent need for a significant reduction in global greenhouse gas emissions indicates that the change in the world's energy mix is inevitable. In the power production sector, this would be achieved through decarbonization with renewables, and within the transport sector, this would be achieved by switching to alternative fuels and electric vehicles. However, this transition is neither fast nor cheap, and it will be gradual. The main goal of this article is to propose a feasible change in the present energy mix and to compare natural gas with other fuels used in power production and transport. The strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of the current system (traditional fossil fuels) and the potential future system (higher share of natural gas) in energy generation and transport were identified, and the influence of recent global trends was analyzed. Natural gas seems to be a viable solution that can help in the transition to a zero-carbon-emissions society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To meet the projected increase in global demand for energy while tackling sustainability concerns, the widespread adoption of renewable energy is inevitable. Once harnessed, exports of this renewable energy from regions with excess resources are anticipated to those that will require imports of energy. The shipping sector will thus play a pivotal role in enabling such trade through energy carriers such as hydrogen, ammonia, methanol, and liquid organic hydrogen carriers. Furthermore, in addition to these energy carriers, carbon dioxide is also expected to become an important maritime trade commodity to achieve climate targets. Through the deployment of carbon capture utilization and storage, and more recently, negative emission technologies, carbon dioxide will need to be transported to regions with the appropriate infrastructure and resources necessary for their anticipated implementation. Presently, in light of these circumstances, the lack of experience in shipping a number of these energy carriers and carbon dioxide must be addressed. As such, an understanding of the techno-economic and environmental feasibility of the large-scale shipping of these commodities must be established at all scales of operation. Accordingly, this work proposes the use of process systems engineering based approaches to enable the marine transportation of these future energy carriers and carbon dioxide from a multi-scale perspective. To lay the foundation in support of this initiative, a framework that considers the multiple scales involved is then presented for the design and operation of progressive ships and their supply chains as part of a decarbonized energy system. [Display omitted] • Discussed the potential of shipping energy carriers and carbon in achieving climate targets. • Identified feasibility challenges surrounding the large-scale shipping of hydrogen carriers. • Proposed a multi-scale framework for the design of ships and supply chains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), artisanal fishing involves the use of small fishing vessels for short fishing trips aimed at capturing fish for consumption and local marketing. This process requires energy at various stages, from boat navigation to refrigeration for storage. The energy used in this process typically comes from fossil fuels, which has environmental impacts due to the carbon footprint of the boats. Additionally, the lack of economic resources to purchase the necessary fuel for the engines hampers the daily work of fishermen. The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) defines energy transition as the pathway towards transforming the global energy sector from fossil-based to zerocarbon by the second half of this century. The energy transition aims to decarbonize the economy and offers opportunities to reduce dependence on fossil fuels. This paper reviews essential concepts for understanding the process of reducing fossil fuel consumption in fishing operations from the perspective of energy transition. Technological, environmental, and socio-economic factors are considered to promote responsible fishing in rural coastal areas of Colombia. A case study in the municipality of Guapi (province of Cauca, Colombia) is examined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cities play a pivotal role in achieving worldwide carbon neutrality due to their significant contribution to global energy consumption and carbon emissions. Therefore, planning effective strategies and guiding evidence-based policymaking at the city scale becomes even more crucial. Composite indices serve as a valuable tool for monitoring urban energy transition trends. This paper aims to present a novel approach, robust and flexible even under conditions of data scarcity, for tracking the energy transition trend of a city by means of a composite index (UETI). The Turin case study is introduced to test the applicability of the proposed approach. Additionally, to demonstrate the robustness of the composite index framework, the paper includes the findings of correlation and sensitivity analyses. This study reveals a significant improvement in Turin's environmental and energy domains, while the socio-economic domain shows more modest improvement. Furthermore, the study highlights the need to address the shortage of urban data to enhance the accuracy and reliability of metric-based frameworks and to extend the assessment to a larger sample of cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the impact of the energy transition on the energy security of six ASEAN countries. The quantitative PLS-SEM method is applied in this study to investigate the relationships among energy democracy, energy citizenship, energy transition, and energy security. The energy transition model investigates the secondary panel data from 2000 to 2020 for six major oil consumption countries to find crucial factors. These six ASEAN countries primarily consume 80% of their energy from fossil fuels, contributing to 4.45% of global CO2 emissions. This study empirically found that energy citizenship significantly impacts the energy transition by 38.3% and energy security by 22.6% through the energy transition. Energy democracy negatively impacts the energy transition at 56.3% and energy security at 64.7%. The energy transition impacts 59.1% of energy security. Encouraging energy citizenship to consume renewable energy reduces CO2 emissions from 1,468 MtCO2 to 906 MtCO2. Promoting energy democracy reduces CO2 emissions from 1,468 MtCO2 to 518 MtCO2. The energy transition of six ASEAN countries is encouraged through energy citizenship and democracy to strengthen energy security by enhancing renewable energy and decreasing the dominance of fossil fuels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the financing of green energy initiatives as a critical element in strengthening Ukraine's energy security, especially in the context of post-war reconstruction and the need for sustainable and resilient energy infrastructure. The study aims to assess the potential and challenges of investing in green energy in Ukraine, considering the destruction caused by Russian military actions in the winter of 2022- 2023, and the need for recovery based on sustainable models. In this regard, the obtained results emphasize the importance of creating a reliable and decarbonized energy sector, driven by both domestic needs and international cooperation with the EU and other partners. The analysis shows that despite strong support for the green energy transition, the development of the sector is hindered by the high capital intensity required for green technologies, which are often not competitive without government subsidies. This requires a careful balance between innovation and commercial viability of green energy projects, highlighting the need for public and private investments in technologies that can compete with traditional sources of energy in the long term and developing new financing tools for Ukraine. The conclusions indicate that a multifaceted approach is needed to ensure Ukraine's energy future and minimize risks. Such an approach should include policy reforms, strategic investments in proven green technologies, and fostering partnerships to bridge the commercialization gap. Policymakers face the dual challenge of accelerating the energy transition while managing financial constraints exacerbated by military spending, highlighting the trade-off between rapid development and the risks associated with financing innovation. Overall, this study contributes to the understanding of how green energy financing mechanisms can enhance Ukraine's energy security, suggesting broader implications for policy, investment, and technological innovation in the context of Ukraine's post-war recovery and future resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study reveals the special role of finance related to the climate and energy transition, the effectiveness of which is evaluated by ESG criteria. The authors define the concept of "sustainable finance" as economic relations within the framework of purposeful formation of capital flows in accordance with ESG principles from public, corporate and private sources and their channeling to achieve the goals of sustainable development, energy transition and adaptation to climate change. It is established that the sustainable development policy implies a comprehensive achievement of goals and solving problems related to the energy transition and overcoming the consequences of climate change, without considering one without the other. The article reveals a connection between the strengthening of climate-related risk management and acceleration of energy consumption, which led to an increase in investor demand for reliable, comprehensive and comparable information. It also reveals significant contradictions between the global players of the global economy regarding the timing and forms of ensuring technological sovereignty and the special role of sustainable finance in achieving it, as well as the importance for Russia to follow global trends in the climate and energy transition. As a special segment of sustainable finance, the field of venture climate finance is developing quite rapidly, but this process is hampered by the lack of adequate information among venture investors about ESG in hightech startup companies and the specter of "black swans" in the financial markets.

Sustainability can be achieved by improving process efficiency, among other methods. In the case of heat supply systems for cities, one of the ways to increase the efficiency of fuel use, and thus reduce resource consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, is the generation of heat and electricity in one process—the use of cogeneration (CHP). The main goal of this paper is to deliver the methodology for a step-by-step modernization process for local gas-fired heating plants through the use of gas cogeneration engines in common central district heating systems. The presented methodology was applied on the basis of a real system located in north-western Poland (case study from Białogard). The profitability of cogeneration was simulated against the background of changing gas prices. The financial and environmental profit from modernization was calculated. The technical requirements that had to be met in order to adapt the existing heating system to cooperation with the new energy source were also presented. The importance of selecting the supply and return temperature of water in the heating system after modernization was emphasized. Based on investment experience, we show that installing a cogeneration engine improves a company's financial result by 33% (calculated as the difference between the revenue from the sale of energy and the cost of gas only) and is less harmful to the environment, among other benefits, significantly reducing CO2 emissions by 78%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today's energy challenges are multifaceted. Over the past 30–40 years, energy issues have been discussed and published on an extensive scale. The green transition involves concrete actions related to increasing energy efficiency, replacing fossil fuels with alternative fuels, producing energy using renewable resources, creating various means of transport that use electric motors, identifying technical solutions that generate an increased energy yield in the case of buildings, and waste reduction, reuse and recycling. In order to attain a climate-neutral environment, it is mandatory to impose regulations, measures and actions to help decarbonize the energy sector. The analysis of published articles on these issues is the subject of this large and information-dense review. Concretely, the transition to climate neutrality will generate obvious advantages at an economic, social and technological level, for example, the opportunity for economic growth, new business models and new markets, and the generation of new jobs or technological development. At the same time, this paper underscores the need for a multifaceted approach, integrating technological innovation, policy intervention and global cooperation for an effective energy transformation. The review suggests future issues and research directions, focusing on viable strategies for energy transition and its socio-economic environmental impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water Flooding (WF) and CO 2 Foam Flooding EOR (CFF) processes are exergy intensive and CO 2 emissive in nature. Hence, the objective of this work is to investigate the ways to attain decarbonization and to evaluate hydrogen requirement for attaining energy transition during WF and CFF processes under different operational conditions. This was performed by using exergy-based evaluation metrics (i.e., Exergy-Return on Exergy-Investment (ERoEI), carbon emissions and hydrogen intensity). It was found that CFF process was 1.69 times more exergy intensive than WF process. Further, for every barrel of oil produced, WF process had net-CO 2 emission of 5.18 kg, while CFF process had net-CO 2 sequestration of 814.5 kg. Moreover, during CFF process, reducing the surfactant concentration from 2.5 wt% to 0.5 wt% had correspondingly decreased CO 2 emissions from 70% to 31%. Further, to attain energy transition during production operations, it was evaluated that WF process requires 1.7 times more hydrogen than CFF process. [Display omitted] • Decarbonization & energy transition was carried out on CO 2 foam flooding EOR process. • Performed sensitivity analysis on various field operations using evaluation metrics. • Manufacturing of surfactants & Injection pumps consumed 66% of total exergy invested. • By using H 2 as fuel source in field operations, the CO 2 emissions are reduced by 62%. • CO 2 foam flooding EOR process sequestrated 27 times more mass of CO 2 than it emitted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In aiding India's effort to become carbon neutral, this research focusses on its Southeastern (SE) region, investigating its potential for decarbonization and using of green hydrogen as alternate fuel for industrial operations. The study analyzed the total CO 2 emissions from the power and industrial sectors in the region, and estimated an annual emissions of 307.8 million tonnes. Considering different GDP growth scenarios, this study estimated the demand for energy and green hydrogen until 2050 for achieving energy transition. Based on the region's renewable energy capacity, an optimal energy mix of 5% small hydro, 45% wind and 50% solar power is recommended for green hydrogen production. This study found that the Cauvery and Krishna-Godavari basins have the storage potential to continuously deliver the stored hydrogen for seven years to the region, ensuring energy security. Finally, by decarbonizing industrial operations in SE region, the global temperature rise could be reduced by 0.003842 °C. [Display omitted] • Power plants are the leading CO 2 emitters, contributing to 64% of total CO 2 emissions. • Energy demand projected till 2050, with Andhra Pradesh as leading consumer. • Quantified green hydrogen and solar energy demand to achieve energy transition. • Hydrogen storage capacity of Cauvery and KG basins for energy security are assessed. • Cauvery and KG basins can potentially deliver the stored H 2 continuously for 6 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green hydrogen offers a promising solution to energy transition challenges. However, a comprehensive understanding of its scenario in Brazil is lacking, hampering the formulation of strategies to enhance domestic market competitiveness. This article identifies Brazil's panorama of green hydrogen, the barriers, drivers, and investment potential for developing this market. It also proposes strategies to stimulate the growth of this industry at the national level. Based on qualitative methods, including literature analysis and interviews with 17 experts, the study reveals that regulatory and political issues and infrastructure readiness necessitate collaborative efforts between the public and private sectors. Overcoming technical hurdles like cost-effective large-scale production and efficient storage demands research investments. Challenges like high production costs and an underdeveloped national industry impede market expansion. By fostering players' collaboration, Brazil could harness its potential in the green hydrogen sector, promoting economic growth, job creation, and environmental sustainability to attain a global leadership position. • The panorama of green hydrogen in Brazil was presented. • Barriers that limit the development of the green hydrogen chain were analyzed. • Strategies to strengthen the green hydrogen market were presented. • Reasons for investing in green hydrogen in Brazil were discussed. • Brazil can become one of the leading exporters of green hydrogen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents the results of a study of the determinants of energy transformation of coal-dependent regions. The case study was on the region of Silesia. This region is the main producer of hard coal and coking coal in Poland, with nineteen mines and numerous coal-fired power plants. Silesia is highly industrialized and urbanized, contributing significantly to Poland’s GDP. However, it is also a leader in terms of methane and carbon dioxide emissions. The study used an approach based on Alvin L. Bertrand’s ‘stress-strain’ theory, to investigate the socio-cultural stresses emerging as a result of the interaction of external factors and internal process dynamics within the region itself. Then, using Marc Wolfram’s systems-based analytical framework approach, the current transformative capacity of Silesia was analyzed. The theoretical framework adopted assumes that socio-cultural stress can be inferred from past situations of tension, influencing the social structure of the region and shaping accepted patterns of adaptation to change. Socio-cultural stress emerges as a key determinant of a region’s coping strategy and shapes its ability to transform in the long term. The research approach presented in this article adopts a comprehensive framework that integrates socio-cultural, socio-ecological and technological dimensions, providing a holistic view of a region’s transformation challenges and opportunities. The research was conducted using focus group interviews and a structured interview questionnaire. Participants in the research were individuals representing a diverse community of experts and activists involved in the energy transition process in Silesia, including local government officials, businesses, professional associations and social activists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Decarbonization and the replacement of coal-fired power plants with solar and wind farms require adequately large energy storage facilities. This is especially important in countries such as Poland, which still do not have a nuclear power plant. Supercapacitors represent a new generation of energy storage. The paper demonstrates that the use of supercapacitors presents an opportunity to increase the share of solar and wind power plants in the energy market. Furthermore, there is no need to replace all coal plants (that are being gradually decommissioned) with nuclear ones. The paper underscores that any further decarbonization and increase in the share of renewable energy sources (RES) in the Polish energy market necessitates the deployment of large energy storage facilities. Rechargeable batteries have a short lifespan, and their production results in significant greenhouse gas emissions. The widespread use of supercapacitors in a new generation of energy storage unveils new possibilities and bolsters decarbonization efforts. Based on an annual analysis of hourly electricity production from wind farms and PVs, a formula is proposed to calculate the capacity of energy storage necessary for the operation of the grid-powered national electricity, mainly from RES. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electricity is one of the easiest—and therefore most urgent—sectors to decarbonize. In the USA, state-level Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) and Clean Energy Standards (CES) are key policy tools pursuant to this objective. These policies mandate that electric utilities achieve specified renewable compositions on specified timelines. In recent US history, electricity has been decarbonizing faster than major agencies predicted, which raises the question of whether utilities are decarbonizing faster than RPS and CES targets prescribe. We address this question by comparing state-level RPS and CES targets to historical progress and stated decarbonization targets from 220 utilities, comprising at least 52% of sales in every state and 76% of sales on average. In 18 of 26 states with current RPS or CES and 9 of 11 states with expired RPS or CES, utilities' generation and targets meet, nearly meet, or exceed state targets. We project that utility targets and linear progress thereafter put six states without current RPS or CES on track for over 90% renewable electricity by 2050, and they put US electricity on track to reach 100% renewable by 2060. Including nuclear—unlike most RPS and CES policies—makes these results starker: utilities' past and planned generation meets or exceeds 31 of 37 state targets, 14 states without RPS or CES would decarbonize electricity by 2050, and US electricity would also decarbonize by 2050. Our results suggest that electric utility plans are mostly consistent with state-level targets but are behind the Biden administration's target of decarbonizing electricity by 2035. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the urgency to limit global warming has intensified, negative emissions technology such as direct air capture and carbon sequestration are increasingly considered in climate mitigation scenarios. When Iceland opened the commercial-grade direct air carbon capture and storage (DACCS) facility in 2021, this marked a breakthrough for DACCS technology as a scalable climate mitigation solution. This study investigates the adoption of DACCS in Iceland and the potential for diffusion into other contexts as a global decarbonization solution. We implement expert interviews to analyze the adoption of technology, and to identify the various requirements of scaling DACCS into local and global contexts. Using inductive thematic analysis, we characterize the diverging perspectives on the role of carbon dioxide removal as a climate mitigation solution and also identify pathways toward technology upscaling at national, regional, and global scales. Despite the successful technology demonstration of DACCS, we find that experts hold different mental models of climate mitigation generally, characterized as "nature vs. technology." We also find that experts clearly articulate the necessary conditions for the diffusion of DACCS more broadly, including explicit regulatory measures as guardrails against a "license to pollute" as well as bilateral governance structures that include financial investment. Finally, we find that the importance of public acceptance of the technology was noted among all expert groups. Limited data exist on the acceptance of DACCS paired with renewable energy and this is a future research recommendation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green hydrogen is gaining popularity as a clean fuel, and India is one of the countries that is exploring its potential. The paper analyzes the factors contributing to the adoption of green hydrogen in India. The government's policies to encourage usage of clean energy and cut down carbon dioxide emissions are a key factor driving the adoption of green hydrogen in India. Additionally, with the accessibility of renewable energy resources, the growing demand for hydrogen in various industrial applications, and the development of supportive infrastructure and policies are also contributing to the expansion of the green hydrogen sector. The study did a comprehensive literature survey to determine 21 variables that contribute to the green hydrogen development in India, which have been categorized under 4 blocks, namely, varied incentives, government support measures, R&D landscape, and green mandate. These blocks can be utilized to articulate and upgrade the green hydrogen policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The urgent need to mitigate the severe environmental impacts of climate change necessitates a transition to a low-carbon energy infrastructure, crucial for decarbonization and achieving global sustainability goals. This study investigates the decarbonization trajectories of five major economies and significant carbon emitters: the United States of America (USA), China, Japan, Germany, and India. We focus on evaluating two decarbonization scenarios for power generation. Scenario 1 explores the use of a generic storage system for reducing critical excess electricity production (CEEP), maintaining the same thermal power plant capacity as in the reference year 2021. In contrast, Scenario 2 models thermal power plants to meet the exact electricity demand without introducing a new electricity storage system. The primary aim is to assess the feasibility and implications of achieving a 100% share of renewable and nuclear energy by 2030 and 2050 in these countries. EnergyPLAN software was utilized to model and simulate the electricity systems of these countries. The two scenarios represent different degrees of renewable energy integration, demonstrating possible transitional pathways towards an environmentally friendly electricity generation system. The study provides a comparative analysis of the outcomes for each country, focusing on carbon emissions reduction and the impact on annual total costs in 2030 and 2050. Results show that by 2030, China could reduce its emissions by 88.5% and 85.14% in Scenarios 1 and 2, relative to 2021 levels. From the two scenarios considered in all the countries, India records the highest percentage reduction while Germany has the least percentage emission in reference to 2021, with a potential decrease of 90.63% and 52.42% respectively. By 2050, carbon emissions in the USA will be reduced by 83% and 79.8% using Scenario 1 and Scenario 2 decarbonization pathways. This research significantly contributes to understanding the decarbonization potential of global electricity generation. It provides vital data for policymakers, energy planners, and stakeholders involved in developing sustainable energy policies.

This paper examines the financing of green energy initiatives as a critical element in strengthening Ukraine's energy security, especially in the context of post-war reconstruction and the need for sustainable and resilient energy infrastructure. The study aims to assess the potential and challenges of investing in green energy in Ukraine, considering the destruction caused by Russian military actions in the winter of 2022-2023, and the need for recovery based on sustainable models. In this regard, the obtained results emphasize the importance of creating a reliable and decarbonized energy sector, driven by both domestic needs and international cooperation with the EU and other partners. The analysis shows that despite strong support for the green energy transition, the development of the sector is hindered by the high capital intensity required for green technologies, which are often not competitive without government subsidies. This requires a careful balance between innovation and commercial viability of green energy projects, highlighting the need for public and private investments in technologies that can compete with traditional sources of energy in the long term and developing new financing tools for Ukraine. The conclusions indicate that a multifaceted approach is needed to ensure Ukraine's energy future and minimize risks. Such an approach should include policy reforms, strategic investments in proven green technologies, and fostering partnerships to bridge the commercialization gap. Policymakers face the dual challenge of accelerating the energy transition while managing financial constraints exacerbated by military spending, highlighting the trade-off between rapid development and the risks associated with financing innovation. Overall, this study contributes to the understanding of how green energy financing mechanisms can enhance Ukraine's energy security, suggesting broader implications for policy, investment, and technological innovation in the context of Ukraine's post-war recovery and future resilience.

Climate change has become a major agenda item in international relations and in national energy policy-making circles around the world. This review studies the surprising evolution of the energy policy, and more particularly the energy transition, currently happening in the Arabian Gulf region, which features some of the world’s largest exporters of oil and gas. Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and other neighboring energy exporters plan to export blue and green hydrogen across Asia as well as towards Europe in the years and decades to come. Although poorly known and understood abroad, this recent strategy does not threaten the current exports of oil and gas (still needed for a few decades) but prepares the evolution of their national energy industries toward the future decarbonized energy demand of their main customers in East and South Asia, and beyond. The world’s largest exporter of Liquefied Natural Gas, Qatar, has established industrial policies and projects to upscale CCUS, which can enable blue hydrogen production, as well as natural carbon sinks domestically via afforestation projects.

Decarbonizing fossil-fuel usage is crucial in mitigating the impacts of climate change. The burning of fossil fuels in boilers during industrial process heating is one of the major sources of CO2 in the industry. Electrification is a promising solution for decarbonizing these boilers, as it enables renewable energy sources to generate electricity, which can then be used to power the electric boilers. This research develops a user-driven simulation model with realistic data and potential temperature data for a location to estimate boilers’ current energy and fuel usage and determine the equivalent electrical boiler capacity and energy usage. A simulation model is developed using the Visual Basic Application (VBA)® and takes factors such as current boiler capacity, steam temperature and pressure, condensate, makeup water, blowdown, surface area, and flue gas information as input. Random numbers generate the hourly temperature variation for a year for discrete-event Monte Carlo Simulation. The simulation generates the hourly firing factor, energy usage, fuel usage, and CO2 emissions of boilers for a whole year, and the result compares fossil-fuel and electrical boilers. The simulated data are validated using real system data, and sensitivity analysis of the model is performed by varying the input data.

The energy transition is a necessary process to contain global warming. Some essential elements for its achievement are financing from more developed countries and collaboration between countries, especially with technology transfer. This article aims to understand China’s role in the African energy transition process. To do this, we start with a qualitative analysis of what is systematized by the African Union (AU) and international energy agencies (International Renewable Energy Agency – IRENA and International Energy Agency – IEA) to provide an overview of the energy transition processes on the African continent. Next, Chinese investments in the energy sector on the African continent are presented, paying special attention to projects carried out between 2015 and 2022, in order to verify whether these investments are in line with debates held in international arenas.

Abstract The substitution of fossil fuels, especially coal, with renewable energy is a crucial step for the CO2 emissions reduction and the avoidance of Global Climate Change. The electric power generation industry is the first economic sector that will have to transition to renewable energy. However, wind and solar energy, the two most abundant renewable energy forms, are not dispatchable. The high penetration of these renewables in the energy market will create a demand–supply mismatch, which can only be alleviated with large-scale energy storage. This paper uses the case of Texas—a state that generates and consumes more electricity than several large, industrialized nations—to quantitatively examine the required infrastructure for the decarbonization of the electricity generation industry, while satisfying the current electric power demand in the State. Among the parameters that are examined are: the additional solar and wind capacity; the necessary energy storage infrastructure; the energy dissipation in the storage/regeneration process; and the effect of decarbonization on the cost of electricity and the welfare of the citizens. The computations show that the technology is available for the transition to a decarbonized electric power sector but requires significant investment in new wind and photovoltaic units as well as substantial energy storage. This would increase the electricity prices by a factor between 2.9 and 3.7 and, would have a disproportionate impact on the citizens in the lower income brackets.

The article explores the challenges associated with the adaptation of energy policies in the Caspian region to the principles of sustainable development. In the contemporary context, the oil and gas resources of Caspian countries play a vital role in national economic development and ensuring energy security for key importing nations amidst the global reshuffling of energy flows. The author analyzes the transformative changes brought about by the energy transition within the structure of the global fuel and energy complex.The study contributes to the field by proposing an integrated approach to promoting energy sustainability in energy-exporting countries. This approach entails the adaptation of the oil and gas sector to decarbonization processes, while simultaneously embracing the development of carbon-free energy sources within a dynamically evolving geopolitical landscape. The research endeavor seeks to determine the main directions for transforming the energy policies of oil and gas producing countries in the Caspian region in response to imperatives of sustainable development.At present, the most relevant aspects of energy policy in the Caspian countries involve the further development of oil and gas projects, strict adherence to environmental standards and regulations, ensuring energy efficiency across the entire production chain, and the implementation of "operational decarbonization" measures and carbon capture and storage technologies to reduce the carbon footprint of the fuel and energy complex. Additionally, to mitigate climate risks in the Caspian region, strategic energy policy priorities should encompass resource diversification towards the advancement of carbon-free generation based on renewable energy sources.The study assesses the potential of the Caspian countries not only in implementing "operational decarbonization" measures but also in developing renewable and low-carbon energy sources. Furthermore, it examines the prospects for realizing ambitious "green" projects in the region.

Climate disruptions have prompted institutions to invest in zero-emissions technologies, in recent years. As a result, the transportation sector has witnessed a shift from internal combustion engines to electric. Several public transport companies have initiated the “Zero-emissions” project to introduce alternatives to diesel in their bus service. This paper delves into the impacts of transitioning from diesel-powered to electric buses. It starts by estimating emissions produced by buses and comparing them. Subsequently, the analysis evaluates the implications of renewing the fleet on the service, considering the change in bus capacity. Additionally, a profitability analysis assesses the Total Cost of Ownership, factoring in helpful life and average distance (kilometres) driven annually. Overall, the findings indicate that switching to electric buses is a promising approach towards achieving environmental objectives. The study shows that investing in electric buses, particularly those measuring 9-m, offers significant economic benefits while aligning with sustainability goals. The research demonstrates that electric buses yield a substantial reduction in global and local emissions when compared to their diesel counterparts. Adopting a comprehensive “well-to-wheel” perspective, electric buses achieve an impressive 68 % reduction in emissions. However, concerning local emissions, certain specific lines recorded values exceeded legal limits. While the initial investment costs for electric buses may surpass diesel buses, the total cost of ownership analysis conducted over 15 years indicates that electric buses can become more cost-effective over time. This cost-effectiveness and their environmental advantages strengthen the case for adopting electric buses to pursue sustainable transportation systems.